House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 10 June 1659

Friday, June 10th, 1659.

Prayers.

Col. Alured.

MR. Robinson reports from the Committee to whom the Petition of Colonel Mathew Alured was referred, That it appears, that the Charge exhibited against the said Colonel Mathew Alured the Seventh of December One thousand Six hundred Fifty-four, at the Court-Martial, doth, throughout, contain a Dislike in the said Colonel Alured, of the Change of the Government unto a Single Person; with several Instances of the Corruptions in that Government, and the exorbitant Profuseness of Expence of Treasure: And saith, That he did, by publick Discourses to several Officers in the Army in Ireland, intimate his Dislike thereof, thereby inclining or endeavouring to incline, other Officers to be of that Judgment.

The said Charge doth intimate likewise, a Petition to the Protector Oliver, promoted and subscribed by the said Colonel Alured against that Government, declaring that Government to be neither by Consent of the People, or Conquest.

The said Information was sent by the Judge-Advocate to Colonel Alured, while he was in Prison; to which he was required to answer: Which Colonel Okey attesteth: The said Articles are attested by Henry Whalley Judge-Advocate: And Colonel Okey and Captain John Narry attest the Judge-Advocate's Hand.

The Sentence upon the said Articles was produced at the Committee, signed by the Judge-Advocate, and proved by Colonel Okey.

The said Sentence is in these Words;

"Resolved, That Colonel Alured be cashiered:"

Upon Consideration of all,

Resolved, by this Committee, That the said Sentence against Colonel Mathew Alured was, and is, unjust.

Resolved, &c. That the same Sentence, together with the Charge, and all Proceedings thereupon, be taken off the Army Rolls, and cancelled.

Resolved, &c. That it be offered to the Parliament, as the humble Opinion of this Committee, That Colonel Mathew Alured be restored to his Command (fn. 1).

Resolved, That this House doth agree with the Committee, That the Sentence against Colonel Mathew Alured was, and is, unjust.

Resolved, That the said Sentence, together with the Charge, and all Proceedings, Parchments, Papers, and Ingrossments thereupon, be vacated and cancelled; and that it be entered upon the Side of the said Ingrossment, That this Sentence was vacated and cancelled by Judgment of Parliament.

Resolved, That Colonel Mathew Allured have a Regiment of Horse: And that it be referred to the Commissioners for nominating Officers, to see this Vote put in Execution.

Tower of London.

The Question being propounded, That Colonel Thomas Fitch be appointed Lieutenant of the Tower of London;

And the Question being put, That that Question be now put;

It passed in the Affirmative.

And the main Question being put; It was

Resolved, That Colonel Thomas Fitch be appointed Lieutenant of the Tower of London.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Council of State, to see this Vote put in Execution; and to prepare and bring in a Commission for constituting him Lieutenant of the Tower, accordingly.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Members of this House of the Council of State, to consider, How the Government of the Tower, and the several Officers there, may be thoroughly regulated.

Gen. Overton.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Commissioners for nominating Officers in the Army, to take Major-General Overton into their Consideration, to nominate him for some Preferment in the Army, according to his Merit.

London Petition.

The humble Petition of the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen of the City of London, was this Day read.

Ordered, That this Petition be referred to the Committee touching the Monopoly of Ballast; to take the same into their serious Consideration; and to bring in an Act for Redress of the Mischief, if they see Cause: And that Mr. Ralegh be added to that Committee.

Post-Office.

The humble Petition of the several Post-masters of England, in behalf of themselves, and the rest concerned in that Employment, consisting of many Families, was this Day read.

Ordered, That this Petition be referred to the Council of State, to take the same into Consideration; and to examine the whole Matter; and to hear all Parties; to consider what is fit to be done; and present their Opinions therein to the House.

Army Commissions.

The House being informed, That divers Officers of the Army were at the Door;

They were called in: And, being come to the Clerk's Table, in manner usual, Mr. Speaker acquainted them with the great Trust and Confidence that the Parliament reposed in them; and that the Parliament expected Faithfulness and Obedience from them to the Parliament and Commonwealth: And did deliver unto them several Commissions: Viz. Unto

Colonel James Berry, his Commission to be Colonel of a Regiment of Horse:

To Lieutenant Noell Butler, his Commission to be Lieutenant of a Troop of Horse:

To Quarter-master George Butler, his Commission to be Quarter-master of a Troop of Horse:

To Major Umpton Crooke, his Commission to be Major of a Regiment of Horse:

To Lieutenant David Gaskin, a Commission to be Lieutenant of a Troop of Horse:

To Cornet Mathew Ward, his Commission to be Cornet of a Troop of Horse:

To Quarter-master Tho. Cooper, his Commission to be Quarter-master of a Troop of Horse:

To Robert Hutton, his Commission to be Captain of a Troop of Horse:

To Lieutenant Richard Mew, his Commission to be Lieutenant of that Troop:

Army Commissions.

To Quarter-master Richard Farley, his Commission to be Quarter-master of that Troop:

To Lieutenant John Ogle, a Commission to be Lieutenant of a Troop of Horse:

To Cornet Wm. Upcott, a Commission to be Cornet of that Troop:

To Quarter-master * Kingston, a Commission to be Quarter-master of that Troop:

To Captain John Hawkeridge, his Commission to be Captain of a Troop of Horse:

To Lieutenant Gowen Aneslow, his Commission to be Lieutenant of that Troop:

To Cornet Thomas Berry, his Commission to be Cornet of that Troop:

To Quarter-master * Westlake, his Commission to be Quarter-master of that Troop:

To Captain Tho. Wells, his Commission to be Captain of a Troop of Horse:

To Lieutenant Robert Ferrer, his Commission to be Lieutenant in that Troop:

To Cornet John Clements, his Commission to be Cornet of that Troop:

To Quarter-master Tho. Fresham, his Commission to be Quarter-master of that Troop:

To Captain-Lieutenant Edmund Ellis, his Commission to be Captain-Lieutenant in Lieutenant-General Fleetwood's Regiment of Foot:

To Ensign John Peele, his Commission to be Ensign in the said Regiment:

To Lieutenant-Colonel Jefferey Ellison, his Commission to be Lieutenant-Colonel of the said Regiment:

To Lieutenant Robert Hayes, his Commission to be Lieutenant of a Company of Foot in the said Lieutenant-General's Regiment:

To Ensign Arnold Baxter, his Commission to be Ensign in that Company:

To Major Oliver Edge, his Commission to be Major of the said Lieutenant-General's Regiment:

To Lieutenant Tho. Lovell, his Commission to be Lieutenant of a Company in that Regiment:

To Ensign James Walworth, his Commission to be Ensign in that Company:

To Captain Nicholas Whitby, his Commission to be Captain of a Company of Foot in the said Lieutenant-General's Regiment:

To Lieutenant James Edge, his Commission to be Lieutenant of that Company:

To Ensign John Bayly, his Commission to be Ensign of that Company:

To Captain Wm. Sharpe, his Commission to be Captain of a Company of Foot in the said Lieutenant-General's Regiment:

To Lieutenant Wm. Findall, his Commission to be Lieutenant in that Company:

To Ensign Richard Packer, his Commission to be Ensign in that Company:

To Captain Richard Holt, his Commission to be Captain of a Company of Foot in the said Lieutenant-General's Regiment:

To Lieutenant Gower Atherton, his Commission to be Lieutenant in that Company:

To Ensign Edward Bayly, his Commission to be Ensign in that Company:

To Captain Tho. Sorrell, his Commission to be Captain of a Company of Foot in the said Lieutenant-General's Regiment:

To Lieutenant John Meager, his Commission to be Lieutenant in that Company:

To Ensign Edmund Gatcliffe, his Commission to be Ensign in that Company:

To Captain Wm. Burrell, his Commission to be Captain of a Company of Foot in the said Lieutenant-General's Regiment:

To Lieutenant Edward Harpur, his Commission to be Lieutenant in that Company:

To Ensign Robert Stephenson, his Commission to be Ensign in that Company:

To Captain Rice Williams, his Commission to be Captain of a Company of Foot in the said Lieutenant-General's Regiment:

To Lieutenant Ellis Bradshaw, his Commission to be Lieutenant in that Company:

To Ensign John Dawson, his Commission to be Ensign in that Company:

To Captain Tho. Scot, his Commission to be Captain of a Company of Foot in the said Lieutenant-General's Regiment:

To Lieutenant Robert Manser, his Commission to be Lieutenant in that Company:

To Ensign Tho. Potter, his Commission to be Ensign of that Company:

To George Eyre Surgeon, his Commission to be Surgeon to the said Regiment:

To Wm. Booker, his Commission to be Quarter-master and Provost-marshal of the said Regiment.

Army Arrears.

The humble Petition of Part of the supernumerary Forces disbanded in the County of Lancaster, comprised in the List annexed; whereof a great Part are now in the Regiment of Foot at James'; was this Day read.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee to whom Colchester Business is referred, to consider, Whether the Petitioners were within the Security of the Act for Sale of the Honours, &c. of the late King, &c. and why their Accompts were not Bonded; and report their Opinion to this House, What is fit to be done therein.

Ordered, That Colonel Birch be added to that Committee.

Transactions with Holland, &c.

Sir Henry Vane reports from the Council of State, That the Paper delivered in by the Dutch Ambassador to the Seventeenth of June instant; together with the Answer prepared to be given to him from the Council; and the Draught of the Declaration, inhibiting the Taking of Commissions from foreign Princes and States.

Ordered, That this Report be taken into Consideration To-morrow Morning.

Answer to Gen. Monck.

Sir Arthur Hesilrig reports the Draught of a Letter to be sent to General Monck, in Answer to his Letter: Which was read.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker do sign the said Letter: And that it be sent to General Monck.

The Letter is as followeth; viz.

Sir,

YOUR Letter was read in Parliament: It is true, the Parliament have under their Consideration the Officers of the Armies; it being of high Concernment for the Settlement of the Nations, to trust such as they are assured will be truly and really faithful to the Parliament and Commonwealth. There hath been, in these late Changes, great Discoveries of Men; and, peradventure, such Things are known to the Parliament that are not to Yourself: The Parliament hath commanded me to acquaint you, That they look upon Yourself as their faithful Servant; and shall not forget your Fidelity: And be assured, I am, Sir,

Your affectionate Friend, Wm. Lenthall, Speaker.

Westminster, June 10th, 1659.